The Wisdom of This World

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness,’ and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’ So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-23 ESV)

Questions:

• How do we deceive ourselves?

• What does it mean to be “wise in this age”?

• How can you become a fool that you may be wise?

• What is the wisdom of this world?

• What are the two ways in which “wise” is being used here?

We deceive ourselves when we refuse to believe the truth and we receive the lie, instead, because the lie sounds better and feels better to our flesh, and because the lie gives us much more “wiggle room” where we can continue living in sin and for self, and in disobedience to our Lord, while we convince ourselves that we are of genuine faith in Jesus Christ and that all our sins are forgiven, and that heaven is now guaranteed us when we die, and it won’t be taken away from us, but regardless of how we live.

For that message right there is of the wisdom of this age, which is not true wisdom at all, but is the opposite of being wise. For it has to do with being foolish and self-centered and prideful and childish and wanting what we want our way, when we want it, regardless of what the Bible teaches us. For the wisdom of this age is telling us that we can believe in Jesus and have heaven guaranteed us but that nothing is required of us other than some profession of faith in Christ – so no repentance and no obedience to God required.

And a lot of people are buying into that “wisdom” which is the opposite of being wise in the eyes of the Lord, and it is so that they can go on living however they want, for themselves, doing things their way, without concern of dying and going to hell. For it requires no commitment, no surrender of self to the Lord Jesus, no dying to sin daily, and no walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in holy living. It is all based on what God does for us but has nothing to do with what he requires of us.

So, when this says here that if anyone among us thinks he is wise in this age, that he should become a fool that he may become wise, this is sort of a “play on words,” and not to be taken literally that we should become fools. What it is referring to is that we must become fools according to the eyes of the world, which means we are those who are really wise in the eyes of God. For the world does not see as God sees, and so they see the message of the gospel, and us who obey it, as foolish and not wise. 

So when this says that the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile, this is speaking of those who are wise in their own eyes and wise in this age, and in the ways of the world and of the flesh. And the same is the meaning of “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” meaning those who are wise in their own estimation, in the ways of the world and not in the ways of God. So this is a warning to not follow after the ways of the world nor the ways of our own flesh, but to follow the ways of God in his wisdom.

For, if we profess faith in Jesus Christ, and so we are convinced that we are now saved from our sins, that all our sins are forgiven, that heaven is now guaranteed us, and that it can’t be taken away from us, but regardless of how we live, and so we go on living in sin and for self, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living, then we are deceiving ourselves. For the Scriptures teach that if sin is what we obey we will die in our sins. But if obedience to God is what we obey, its end is eternal life with Christ.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387